A SARNAU man with significant gambling debts stole over £22,000 from an 84-year-old dementia patient, a court has heard.

Simon Neil Miles, 31, admitted fraud by false representation after setting up an online bank account for Dewi Davies, a family friend of his partner and draining the money, leaving one account with just 97p in it after he stole more than £10,000.

Miles, who his solicitor said was “thoroughly ashamed” of himself, will now be sentenced at crown court after magistrates said the case was too serious for them to deal with.

Prosecutor Kevin Challinor said that between 1 November 2013 and 1 August 2014, Miles took over £22,000 by transferring money from Mr Davies’s bank account and premium bond account into his own bank account.

Miles, of 1 Pen Pistyll, had completed documentation enabling him to access Mr Davies’ accounts and had set up an online password which he had sent to his own home.

Mr Challinor said Mr Davies had been living alone at his home and relying on family and friends to help him following a stroke in 2012, but in 2014 was moved into a care home after he was diagnosed with dementia.

A financial officer with Ceredigion County Council carried out a review of Mr Davies’ finances and discovered suspicious activity with a reference to Oaktree Mobility.

The company said that Mr Davies had bought a bed from the company, but he had paid by cheque.

A police investigation found that Miles had transferred thousands of pounds from different accounts belonging to Mr Davies into his own.

He was discovered to have gambling debts, but initially in an interview Miles claimed that he had been helping Mr Davies and he had set up the online password at the request of Mr Davies. Miles said he had transferred money to his own account to pay for items requested by Mr Davies and would give any remaining money to him.

However, in a second interview he admitted he had not been honest with police and admitted having gambling debts and that he had used money without Mr Davies’ permission.

Defence solicitor Iestyn Davies said when Miles had started the fraud, Mr Davies had not been diagnosed as having dementia.

He said Miles had realised he had a gambling problem and had been trying to win money to be able to pay back the money used from Mr Davies. He said: “He’s thoroughly ashamed of himself and it is something that is difficult to put right in secret.”

Magistrates declined jurisdiction saying that the fraud against a vulnerable victim for such a large amount of money should be sentenced in crown court. Miles was released on unconditional bail until a sentencing hearing on 3 February.